THIS GUY GIVES A $HIT
P.E.I. fundraising group has grown from about 20 members to more than 100 since 2016
“We want to be relaxed. We don’t want a tense environment. We’ll sit around and drink some beer and have some laughs at the meeting.” Jason Mosher
Jason Mosher really does “give a shit.”
“I’m just old school,” said Mosher, founder of the Island group Guys Who Give a $hit.
Since the group formed in February 2016, more than $50,000 has been donated to P.E.I. charitable organizations. The first meeting was held at the P.E.I. Brewing Company with about 20 members. Now, Mosher estimates that the group has grown to about 105 members.
The most recent donations were made on March 12. At a meeting that evening, the group met and donated $9,300 to KidSport P.E.I.
Meals on Wheels and the United Way of P.E.I. also received $500 each.
“It’s a strong voice that is a bunch of guys that get together and try and make a difference in our community,” he said.
Mosher, also the owner of Naturally Fit PEI in Charlottetown, explained the group meets every three months. Members nominate specific charities for funding.
The names are put into a hat and then the top three candidates attend a future meeting to make their pitch to the group for funding.
At that meeting, members contribute $100 each, and then vote for one of the registered charitable organizations. The most votes receive the bulk of the money while the remaining two organizations receive $500 each.
“We want to be relaxed. We don’t want a tense environment. We’ll sit around and drink some beer and have some laughs at the meeting,” said Mosher.
“Organizations that come in are presenting at the meetings. They’ll put a spin on their presentation to involve the ‘s’ word. They have fun with it. It brings a lot of the pressure away from the meeting and people have really taken to it.”
An important consideration the group makes when deciding to nominate and donate to an organization is that the money stays on P.E.I., he said.
“If it does not stay on Prince Edward Island, you will not be invited back. So, we’re very vocal about that,” Mosher said.
Gemma Koughan, executive director of Sport P.E.I., explained that KidSport P.E.I. is a program that helps families facing financial challenges with grants so children can participate in organized sports.
Grants can be as much as $300 to help with registration and equipment costs. She added that the donation from Guys Who Give a $hit is greatly appreciated.
“A great bunch of guys giving back to the community. And, we were very fortunate that we were the recipient this time,” Koughan said.
Publicity is good for the organizations that receive donations. But Mosher said the group doesn’t seek publicity for itself. Most of the members want to be anonymous, he said.
Most of Guys Who Give a $hit’s members live on the Island in rural communities as well as Charlottetown and Summerside.
In addition to growing its membership on P.E.I., the group has branched out with friends starting chapters in Dawson Creek, B.C., and in New Hampshire.
The group in B.C. operates under a different name, he said.
Anyone interested in getting involved with the P.E.I. group can contact the group through its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/guyswhogiveashit or attend a meeting with a current member.